TheBestIsYetToCome

Wishing you much success on your journey to a "brand new You. My surgery was January 3, 2011. Thus far I feel great. Stay positive and let us know how things go.

Well wensday is the big day for me im starting to get a little bit nervous now but no turning back now i have my plane tickets my passport and i payed my down paynemt so i hope everything goes good i never flew in a plane b4 so i cant belive im having this surgery plus out of country,on top of that in Mexico my doctor is dr. jose rodriguez so wish my luck guys.

My stats im 26 6'2 bmi 46

Lee

Don't. Want to tell you how go feel but from someone that had surgery on January 3, 2011, you have my support through this process. Everyone is different so my experience is not yours but I can tell you I did not use a pain pump nor have I taken any of the vicodin prescribed by my doctor. Take it easy and get in tune to the signs of your body and you will be fine. Keep us posted of your progress.

I definitely have to check this site out. I really like the Chobani yogurts.

chobani yogurt website has some recipes using their plain yogurt in place of sour cream and Mayonnaise. good source of Protein too. The salmon with chobai curry sauce looks good

Chobani Yogurt - Recipes

Congratulations. You're doing great and you look wonderful.

I will be at 6 months tomorrow, this is really hard for me because I still see the fat girl when I look at pics, but here is a before pic and a now pic. Be nice please .

I am 46.

Best wishes and positive energy coming your way. Let us know how you're doing.

I made it!! I am in Mexicali, Mexico one hour away from my plication procedure with Dr. Rafael Abril. I am so very pleased. The hospital is small and privatley owned. Very clean, very nice. I am calm and feel secure about this now. finally!! I was such a worry wort. I will re post after I wake up and let you all know how it went. If anyone is looking for surgery and is afraid of Mexico, like me...chill out, they really are great down here!!

This is sad. Keep the group posted.

I haven't used any pin medication since I got home either. I even requested they stop putting it in my IV. With the exception of slight tug when I switch sides too quickly, I am pain free.

I've not had kids, but I can't imagine it being as bad (esp kids without drugs). I found the plication painful, but the painkillers dealt with the pain pretty well. It definitely is way less painful than when I had a pin inserted in my tibia!

Simply beautiful. Keep it going. You look fabulous.

WOOHOO!!!! I'm not far into it but I am there!!!!!!!! 199.8 this morning at my 8 week weigh in!!! I am here and I am NEVER going back again!! I lost 1lb this week which is still a lose and I am happy! I know I can do better though and as time goes on I'm sure I will! I have learned so much in the 8 weeks of having my sleeve. I have learned that Protein is BIG KEY in my loss. When I eat at least 60g a day, I lose weight at a good speed, when I don't get it I stop losing or even gain!

I am going back to my jog/walk at the gym this week and I am also going to start an ab workout and weights!

I am on my way and it feels GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear your smile. What a beautiful thing.

Hi everyone, I guess I am just curious to see how other people have treated you now you are losing or have lost weight. How do family/friends or acquaintances talk to you?

Are you shocked, happy, saddened?

And has it changed any of the dynamics in those relationships?

Congratulations on deciding to change your life. I wish I could help you with the ticker. I'm having problems with mine also and I have updates :-)

I am 24 years old. I graduated from college about a year ago. For the most part I am happy with my life but am hoping to move to a larger city. I am about 260 at 5'2. I know I an very overweight and will eventually have major health problems if I don't do something about it. I also want to look better and be more comfortable doing everyday things, and I do believe unfortunately that some people do judge you on looks. Despite this, for the most part I feel that I have a fairly high self esteem. In my opinion I have a pretty face, and for the most part carry my weight well. I have always struggled with my weight but I gained a lot of weight in college and since. I have tried on several occasions to lose weight, and succeed up to a point, then eventually I ended up gaining it all back and more:( Over the past year I have been considering weight loss surgery, and in the past 2 months have come to decide on the VS:) I am excited for this new part of my life. I have already been attempting to change my diet and exercise according to the doctors orders (however the journaling big is the hardest part for me). I don't know anyone personally who has had weight loss surgery and am looking forward to connecting with people who have:)

ps can anyone tell me how to add the weight tracker things at the bottom of my posts? Thanks:)

*The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results*

I agree, get a second and maybe a third if you have to. This is your life.

Greetings,

Today I went to my PCP to follow up on my EGD results (gallstones/h pylori/Gerd).

When I first started researching WLS I started with the band and quickly realized that was not for me. I quickly got intrigued with the Sleeve and started reading everything I could about it.

The doctor (also a surgeon) told me today that my stomach issues and Gerd would get worse with the sleeve. He said the RNY would be the better operation for me.

I visually think of Star Jones and Carnie Wilson when I think of the RNY. I am at 40% bmi so yeah I am fat---I guess I thought RNY was better for the bigger folks.

I'm all confused now. If RNY was your only choice would you choose that surgery? I have heard so many negatives and this is really making me rethink surgery period.

Sounds like you did fine for yourself. At least, you didn't eat it and make yourself sick. Ido feel you pain and struggle. I remind myself daily that I had the surgery not my boyfriend. I was able to sit at the table with him while he ate shrimp fried rice and chicken wings. I simply ate my Jello and some Soup and remembered vizualized how I'm going to look in my goal dress in the future. It's hard to believe tomorrow will be one week. I'm super excited for us all.

Hi, I first will say, I am new at this, Sleeved on Dec 29th, I am feeling great over all.

Now, my number one food addiction ~~ pizza. There, I said it. I am addicted to pizza and all the wonderful yummy items associated. I have worked in a few pizza joints and I simply know what I like.

My hubby knows this.... and he knows I have been cranky about certain foods in the house as of the last few weeks. So why, oh why.... Did he go and get my favorite restaurant and favorite pie and all the fixings on Friday night? I could have died. It was like bring the heroin to the addicts doorstep. I had to lock myself in my bedroom because the smells were just over whelming me.

So, my dirty secret..... I took a bite.... chewed it to oblivion and then spit it out. I had to get the craving out of my head and I knew I couldn't dare swallow even a morsel.

I know that it is counterproductive to do that, and I am sure I did get a few calories from this unfortunate act.. How do you cope though with your absolute favorite food being around and you can't have it? Of course, I could kill my hubby for it. We have talked and I have told him how weak willed I am right now and that these things really truly do bother me.... but he says it makes me stronger. Phooey on him. I have enough to deal with right now with my particular diet and exercise plan.

Sigh..... I hope this was a one time break and I can be stronger next time.

Wow, what a story. I'm sure you will do well all you have gone through with thus far. Patience and presistence sure pays off. May you soon have your surgery date.

Theresa

During 2010, I have worked for three companies and had three insurance plans. This had made my journey to have gastric sleeve surgery interesting, to say the least. I started pursuing having bariatric surgery January 1 of 2010. My employer had included it in the insurance plan for the first time. I started looking for a center of excellence for the surgery in Dallas. Nine days later my employer ("Company A") sold my division of the business to "Company B". Thank goodness Company B had bariatric surgery in their plan, so I decided on a surgeon - Dr. Nick Nicholson after doing research and attending one of his seminars. I started attending a monthly meetings with a dietician. Company B insurance didn't cover the sleeve, so my second choice was gastric banding. Then, eight weeks after the sale of the business, "Company B" announced a layoff - which included me. I had until May 31st, then I would be unemployed. Company B's insurance required six months of meetings with the dietician, plus other requirements. There was no way to meet the requirements for the surgery before I was laid off, so I planned on using COBRA until after my recovery. Good news - I found a job with another division of Company A, and started June 2nd - I had one day off - the Memorial Day Monday holiday. No COBRA needed. I informed Dr. Nick's insurance lady and she coordinated me working to meet the requirements with Company A. Still no sleeve available, so I continued planning on the band. I had two sleep studies and continued with the dietician meeetings. Twelve weeks after I started back with Company A, they sold that division to "Company C", who was their partner in the joint venture. (I knew this was coming before I went back to Company A - I wasn't surprised.) I had to change insurance plans from Company A's plan to Company C's plan. I tried to get the surgery approved before the changes went through, but couldn't get it done. Thankfully, all the dietician meetings counted, as did the sleep studies. I had a psychiatric evaluation done in December. Also in December, Company C's insurance decided to include the sleeve as one of their approved procedures. The timing was perfect for me. So, the very patient isurance lady at Dr. Nick's applied for my approval for the sleeve. I received approval on December 29, 2010 - my 54th birthday. I have my meeting with Dr. Nick on January 19th, and hope to schedule surgery for late in February. I started this journey weighing 253 pounds. I have lost about 13 pounds during 2010. My goal is to lose an additional 100 - 120 pounds as a result of the surgery, diet and exercise.

Greetings,

I was sleeved on Monday, January 3, 2011. I was discharged from hospital yesterfay. So far so good. Looking for a buddy to share this exprrience.

Inappropriate on so many levels.

Cyn,

Congratulations! I had surgery on Monday. I know exactly how you are feeling right now. I wanted to know more about the abdominal belt. Much success to you.

Skeebo,

I can sense your frustration with where you are following your surgery. My surgery is tomorrow (1/3) so I cannot offer any specific information to help you with your situation; however, what I can say is that I have found this forum to be extremely helpful and as you can see by the responses you did get that you at least have more food for thought. Do you know if your doctor checked for any other medical conditions such as Thyroid condition? From your post, it's obvious your weight gain is not from eating, so it has to be something. Much success to you as you work with your medical team to figure out what is going on with your body.

Light~ Theresa

I am totally frustrated with my surgery! Two weeks after surgery I was down 10 lbs. As soon as I went off full liquids, the weight started to return. I followed the program faithfully through Thanksgiving and kept gaining. At 3 lbs from my surgery weight, it stopped and is back down to 6-8 lbs below surgery weight! I absolutely have not been eating enough to gain weight. I have never felt as much restriction as I expected. I can eat anything I want and if I eat slowly, I could eat at much as I wanted, but hold myself to prescribed amounts. I do not know what is going on. The doctor is not much help. Haven't seen him since just prior to the surgery. He did not come to the hospital nor my follow up office visit. They had me phone in my weight for my one month check up and did not schedule another visit. I do not know what to do. I am 58 and only had 50 lbs to lose at the time of surgery. I did not go through all of this to stay at the weight I had achieved on my own prior to surgery. I had lost 50 lbs on my own. Sorry to give in to such a rant, but I am so frustrated. I am struggling not to return to the old eating habits. Grazing will do me in if I don't get a grip on this frustration! Thank you so much for listening!!

Wow! My doctor put me on a 1200 calorie per day meal plan but left the decision how I would accomplish that task up to me. In 2 and a 1/2 weeks I lost 8 pounds. I just have to keep it going.

My Surgeon requires 2 full weeks of strict liquid diet prior to the Sleeve Surgery Date. I understand that a prep is needed, but two weeks?? Just wondered if any of you had that same requirement or if it was different??

I was told by my dietitian, that for the first two weeks I would be on liquid Protein shakes, then soft foods, then reintroduction of regular foods. Foods that I am aware of that are high in Protein are chicken breast, fish (especially tuna), eggs, Beans, peas, and nuts. I am sure there are other foods, but this is mostly what I eat.

Hope this helps.

Theresa

What are your favorite foods that you use to get all of your protein in. I am new to this (6 days post opt) and I am just worried that I am not going to be getting my required amounts of protein in like I should.

Lucill,

Thanks for replying to my post. We can make it t hrough this journey together. I am originlly from Kentucky, so I am only a transplant in New Jersey. My roots are midwestern. What part of the midwest do you live?

Theresa

Is the reason your insurance doesn't pay because it is an investigational procedure? If so you might want to try and appeal. I did and it worked. I know others have done this as well.

Congratulations. It's good you feel like walking around. Your journey has begun.

Theresa

wow, you are doing real well to have been sleeved this morning. I was not up to doing much of anything for at least 24 hours after surgery. I think that is a good sign. Congrats, what a great Christmas present.

Lucill,

It is good to make your acquaintance. Any support I can provide just ask. What part of the Midwest are you from? I am from Kentucky but now live in New Jersey.

Lucill,

It is good to make your acquaintance. Any support I can provide just ask. What part of the Midwest are you from? I am from Kentucky but now live in New Jersey.

I am the last person that I thought would be here sharing my trials and tribulations of weight loss; however, here I am. After much internal wrestling, I decided that WLS was the way to go. Initially, my insurance company said I had to weight 6 months and jump t hrough many hoops, but 4 months in, the policy changed and I was eligible to have the surgery at any time. Between getting that news and now many things have occurred that have stalled my decision to move forward. In addition to working full time in the area of child protective service in a large urban area on the east coast, I am a full time doctoral student. If that isn't enough, I have a partner that I have been with for the past 8 years. He and I went through a really rough spot back in July and so I left. That was really hard on me, but eventually we worked it out and are now back together. He is even on board with me having surgery. In November I had surgery to repair an upper respiratory problem and two days after tht my father died. I could have allowed all those things to derail my decision to make this significant change in my life, but I didn't. At 46 years-old, I feel like I have many good years ahead of me and I want to do everything I can to make sure they are just that. I have only told a handfull of people about my surgery. I asked for the first two weeks off at the first of the year so that I can start off on the right track. If I need to take longer, I will, but I am trusting and believing in the procoess and know that I am going to do fine.

Any tips or suggestions on how to navigate this process is greatly appreciated.